Washington  - The United States called on Macedonia Monday to repeat lections in areas where intimidation and violence prevented voters from casting ballots.

US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said there were "some very serious problems" with the election and that the government did not take adequate steps to protect voters from violence.

"It's the responsibility for a government to provide an atmosphere where people are able to freely express themselves via the ballot box and feel assured that they wouldn't be subject to threat or intimidation," he said. "That clearly didn't happen."

International monitors reported that Sunday's parliamentary elections failed to meet international standards, and that the government failed to prevent violence or intimidation in ethnic- Albanian areas. One person died and more were wounded.

The United States joined the European Union in the criticism of the country hoping to join NATO.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's party won with 47 per cent of the vote, authorities said. (dpa)